Railways To Generate 8 Lakh Mandays For Migrant Labourers

Representative Picture

New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways has directed the zonal railways to expedite the ongoing infrastructure projects under Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan to generate eight lakh mandays for migrant labourers.

Reviewing the progress of the Abhiyaan through video conference, Chairman, Railway Board, Vinod Kumar Yadav instructed the zonal railways to take up the works in the identified 116 districts. Around 160 infrastructure works have been identified to be expedited.

These works would generate around eight lakh mandays with an estimated budget of Rs 1800 crore by the end of October.

Yadav instructed the zonal railways to appoint nodal officers in each district and the state to maintain close coordination.

The Abhiyaan is in operation in 116 districts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Jharkhand since it was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 20.

The employment-cum- rural public works programme was launched to provide livelihood to migrant workers who have returned to home states in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.